No Way Out

Wyatt Findlay was house-sitting when he notices something strange about the odd couple across the street. He has no qualms about inserting himself into an obviously intense situation. He can’t help but be intrigued by the quiet young man that has been washing the same car for hours while an older man looks on. Not one to back down from a confrontation, he taunts the arrogant man while trying gauge if the younger man is in some sort of danger. As soon as Wyatt learns of the grave situation the young man is in, he wants nothing more than to save him. It’s never as easy as it seems.

Wyatt is a struggling artist just waiting for his big break. His mentor sets him up with a place to stay for the summer as a house sitter. He soon becomes suspicious about the men living across the street. When he reaches out to his mentor to find some answers about the mysterious situation, things go from bad to worse. Now he’s on a mission to not only save the young man but he wants the mans heart as well.

Shylor Lind moved into Randy Grants home with his mother when he was a child. After his mother left, Randy is the only family he’s ever known. His life is consumed by the other man. Nothing more than a shiny toy for the older man to use as he sees fit. He hates his life, but he knows he has no way of escaping. Randy owns him. Shylor wants Wyatt to save him, for anyone to save him from his living hell but it’s impossible. No one can win a fight against Randy, and if they tried, Shylor would suffer for the transgression.

I wanted to like this book, and some parts I did. Shylor was the only character that intrigued me. I want to scoop him up and put him in a different book. I understand the conflict of the story. I understand the protagonists, and they were very well thought out. My issues lie with the secondary characters and the climax of the story. This book claimed BDSM, but that is by far an over exaggeration. Nothing in this book qualifies as BDSM. It’s grown men acting as backyard bullies and sexually assaulting a man they know is unwilling but is unable to speak freely due to long-term mental and physical abuse. That is rape. Not BDSM.

Reviewed by Truus for Diverse Reader

First.... what an amazing cover!!!

Living under the scrutinizing eyes of Randy, Shy has to be utterly concentrated with his behavior, he can’t slip because it would end badly... very badly.

Deprived of everything that made him a free living, thinking human; Shy is being held as Randy’s slave for the past five years. He’s been dominated, indoctrinated, and hurt by a man who only loves himself.

Wyatt an upcoming artist is house sitting for a friend and notices there is an odd couple living across the street. Wyatt is drawn to the beautiful boy, who is cleaning an already perfectly clean car.

The older man behind the boy is rude and the younger man has to retreat back into their house. There is something terribly wrong.

This is what I call a hurtful read and I loved it. It did things to my heart and stomach.

It’s a heartbreaking and nauseating story and at moments I had the need to scream because it was quite frustrating to see someone so desperate and hopeless.

Shy is numb and the author did an amazing job how this was done. His mind was conditioned by Randy and that same mind saw a ray of light in Wyatt.

It was a good, solid written story, convincing and fascinating. It was consistent throughout the story. The whole plot was really well done, just my kind of story!
When you aren’t easily put off by hurt and discomfort this read is for you!

4 Stars

This book was kind of messed up. Don’t get me wrong though…

This book was an interesting read, good overall, and written really well. I am glad to have read it. But, I guess I was just not really expecting it to be as harsh and brash as it was. Some of this book was hard to read since you instantly fall in love with Shy and just want the best for him. But having to hear every horrible thing he goes through to in order to get his HEA is kind of heartbreaking.

There is not really any BDSM in this book. At All. There are also mentions of rape and slavery, one character buying and “owning” the other. There was definitely mentally and physically abusive and controlling behavior talked about (but not really on page) that the character Grant deals out onto Shylor continuously for years before Wyatt enters the picture and tries to bring Shylor out of his shell in order to save him from all the torture and horrible treatment Grant put him through. Grant is not a Dom in any sense of that word, whether he liked to think that of himself or not. He is an abusive jerk who very obviously took advantage of a young boy and kept him trapped in that life for years. I am ashamed at some of the secondary and minor characters in this book who obviously saw a young man being abused (calling it a BDSM D/s relationship) and not doing anything to actually make sure the Sub was okay especially in a club type venue.

But… Anyhow…

Enter Wyatt. He is drawn to Shylor from the minute he sees him. Something in Wyatt just won’t let him get Shy out of his mind, and I am so glad they had that instant connection. Every step Shylor took away from Grant and toward Wyatt seemed like a struggle. I was happy that Shy felt that same pull of chemistry between the two and was able to get out of his shell and mindset to finally get out of the hell he was thrust into. Shylor was adorable and timidly shy and still seemingly innocent even after everything he had gone through in the years of being stuck with Grant.
I was instantly enamored with Shy and my heart hurt with every horrible action that happened to him. Wyatt had an interesting personality that kept me intrigued as to what he would do next. I didn’t quite know what to think of him, at times he was oblivious to the situations around him, but then he becomes all-knowing as to what he needed to do. But I did like the characters and setting and how this book was laid out. I think if you like some angsty hard to read at times, hurt/comfort books, this will be right up your alley. I am also hoping that we get another book that at least has Wyatt and Shylor as secondary characters so we can see them as they are further along in their relationship since this book didn't really have a concrete ending feel to it. And finally, I hope that Grant disappears into some form of hell never to been seen or heard from again.

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***

I almost passed this one up because the cover was so dark I could barely make the images out. The blurb, however, hooked me and I am glad I took the chance.
Since I don't give half stars I am rounding up to a four mainly because of the beautiful way this story is handled.
Warning: This story is about slavery. not really BDSM consensual, one person likes it slavery but A young man that has lived in a house since he was 5, sold by his mother at fifteen and known nothing else. He was homeschooled and not let out unless with Randy so he has no friends and no one knows him but the other men in the club they go to. Shylar lives in fear of not pleasing Randy or having to take the brunt of anything that upsets him. Here is what I liked, though we know Shylar is abused and every time we see the storm in Randy's eyes I would flinch... yet the actual punishments were off the page, though we know that Shylar endured a lot.
Wyatt was ok as a character. I love that he saw something, checked it out, couldn't quit thinking something was just wrong and kept going after it. There are few characters in the story and it is short and to the point.
I do wish the end had been a bit more. I will say it's at least a happy for now. I would have liked to see more justice since what Randy was doing was illegal as h#@! but hey maybe we will get another story. I'd be up for it and I would love to see Lukas get a story. (HInt, HInt)